Top Secret

3. The lover is annoying1

Although the examinees who had finished the CSATs were freed from the boring night study, even if they were told to go back to the fourth period, they couldn’t relax as they had to prepare their essay for the final exams. There was a new division in school, into essay class and CSAT class: the essay class prepared for the essays, while the CSAT class spent time either watching videos or doing self-study. The class ended early but, unlike the CSAT class that could do whatever it wanted, the heart to prepare for the exam remained unchanged.

Yoonjae and Jaeyoon sat at the snack bar, eating cup noodles to rest their heads. Youngsoo, who was taking another lesson after the class divided, to exaggerate a bit, ran with tears flying from his eyes.

“Autoreverseeee!!!”

“Go away. It was quite fine not seeing you.”

Yoonjae grumbled for no reason.

“Heng, is it great having class only with each other after ditching your friends?”

“Let’s set it straight. Did you enjoy appreciating the video after throwing away your friends who have to take the exam again?”

“Earlier, it seemed you were getting punished in class 3, what happened?”

The essay class gathered in the library for their lessons, so once break time came around, Jaeyoon asked what he was curious about.

“Damn it, don’t even talk about it. Didn’t I plan on bringing the treasure hidden under hyung’s bed today? Just in case the school dean appeared, everyone was firmly prepared and I told Jungseop to be on the lookout. And this brat was stuck to the window in the hallway, so he didn’t see the dean coming! It was neglect of duty, neglect of duty!”

Everyone understood when he said ‘treasures under the bed’. They couldn’t believe he’d turn on something else during the sacred video appreciation session. Everyone thought, this bloke gets in trouble whenever he has time to spare, aren’t you bored doing this until the day of graduation?

“Ugh, it was the perfect scene! Why did the Bulldog have to appear right there? Because of that, we were beaten and it got confiscated.”

‘The teachers on night duty today are on fire,’ Youngsoo mumbled and worriedly contemplated how to beg his older brother for mercy. Coming back from the stand, Jinwook started throwing the drinks he was holding one by one. Caught unaware, Jaeyoon hesitated when he saw the can’s red body.

“Why?”

“Ah. Nothing.”

Hesitating to drink a beverage just because of someone was very pathetic. Jaeyoon opened the can and took a sip, savouring the popping taste of soda. He turns really gentle when he gets drunk on this. It was only a vague memory now, but Jaeyoon, who had come all the way to this point, couldn’t help but believe it. If he saw it once more, he’d be fully convinced then.

The Great Devil who had come out of nowhere and taken him a few days ago, making him clean months old stuff, may even clean up himself. If that happened, the sweet brown liquid would be a magical medicine for Jaeyoon.

However, such a coincidence wouldn’t appear again, Jaeyoon shook his head.

“Look at this guy, he sighs and then laughs… suspicious.”

Youngsoo pointed at Jaeyoon and gave him a suspicious look. He had yet to question Jaeyoon about his disappearance on the day of the CSATs. If things had gone according to Youngoo’s imagination, Jaeyoon would feel better instead, but on that day, he’d had to roll three drunkards to the corner, throw them away, wash and clean everything up; the next day, he suffered from muscle pain and was extremely fatigued, to the point he even had trouble getting up, so Jaeyoon stared at Youngsoo, wondering why he wanted to hear it so badly. What would his face look like if he knew the truth? He drank the cola thinking it’d be fun to see the hardening faces of his friends.

“Oho, what’s with that wicked look? It’s dangerous, dangerous. There’s another lamb here that has opened its eyes to my charm.”

“Haha.”

“It’s starting again, Lee Youngsoo’s bullshit.”

Everyone had expressions of ‘can’t stop him’, but Jaeyoon was grateful for the ease Youngsoo had brought to him after a long time.

“Hanshin Uni’s essay is 20%, right?”

“The school records reflect more. I have to do really well on the final exams.”

Korean examinees couldn’t be happy after the CSATs were over. There were subtle parts where they had to be careful with each other since they could end up as rivals in the same university and the same department, so the sense of liberation from having finished the tests lasted only a fleeting moment.

“Jaeyoon, do you want to lower it and apply (there)?”

“Yep. Since it’s a national university, the tuition fee is also cheap, so that’s great.”

“Jaeyoon’s younger sibling plays cello. He wants to ease the pressure on his parents even if just a bit, this brat.”

“I see. Didn’t you say you wanted to learn archeology? So, I thought you’d go to Inse Uni.”

“That’s what I got interested in when watching a movie, but I also think going into Education and becoming a teacher would be stable.”

“Uwa~ It’d be great if the tedious exams would be over soon!”

“Should we go on a trip before graduating?”

“Oh, Lee Youngsoo, it’s been a while since you’ve said something proper.”

“You! I only ever say the right things.”

“Hey! Trouble!!!”

While they tried to agree with Youngsoo’s idea and gather opinions, Donghyun ran as if he was rolling through the entrance of the canteen, and shouted, making a fuss unbefitting of his big build. His face was snow white with terror, as if he had met a ghost.

“I’m done with bad luck today after Bulldog.”

“Do I have to take the test again because the computer was messed up since it had an error?”

“Ugh, I’d really hate that.”

“Did they suddenly change the college entrance exams?”

“What’s the trouble?”

These were the real worries of examinees. Youngsoo was indifferent, believing he had no troubles, Jinwook joked, and Yoonjae felt uneasy. Jaeyoon handed Donghyun, who was gasping from running, the can he was drinking from. Donghyun drank it up as if he’d pour it out all at once and didn’t even wipe the corners of his mouth where it had spilled, pointing with his hands and feet outside and busily trembling.

“Ou… Appeared.”

“What?”

“W-Went to the staffroom.”

“What did?”

“Kim Donghyun, don’t stammer and spit it out properly. Who went into the staffroom?”

“Hundred-100 days’ anni.”

“??-”

“!-”

“Oh no!”

“No way!!”

The one hundred days anniversary was imprinted on them as a special common memory. They looked at each other and calmed their trembling hearts. Although the one who had the deepest connection to him among them was Jaeyoon, his friends who couldn’t possibly know of the truth turned their gazes simultaneously to Yoonjae. Yoonjae scratched his eyebrows and mumbled, ‘who’d knew he’d come?’

His cousin Sieon was such a lucky guy that he’d passed the difficult bar exam even before graduation. His mother had said that morning that, now that he’d passed, it was only natural for him to meet and greet his teachers, and that maybe Yoonjae would run into him at school. But he hadn’t expected Sieon to actually come and greet the teachers. Yoonjae – who couldn’t imagine that guy living on such a high horse ever coming to bow his head, get congratulated and thank teachers – knew that his prediction had been wrong after he heard Donghyun’s sighting. Although as the years went by, the rumors had grown exponentially – Yoonjae was one of those who believed the rumors were absolutely true and in no way exaggerated – in fact, very few people knew Sieon’s face. Unfortunately, Yoonjae’s friends were among those very rare people.

“So will you get handcuffed now even for running in the hallway?”

“That can’t be true, asshole!”

“Youngsoo, you’re in trouble. You downloaded a lot from the internet. It’s illegal.”

“So I’m the only one, am I?”

The boys stood in the second-floor hallway near the staffroom, stuck to the wall and whispering in quiet voices. When Youngjae said, ‘He passed the exam and came to greet the teachers,’ their reaction was [May the gangsters rest in peace]. As their reaction was identical to his, Jaeyoon felt curiously amused and laughed to himself, but also felt sorry thinking they were being too mean.

“But what kind of level was that exam that he passed on the first try?”

“If I knew that, would I be here?”

Jaeyoon stuck his head out and looked at the one among the gathered teachers. Being taller, that guy’s head stood out and caught his eyes immediately.

“He is talking with our homeroom teacher.”

“It seems like it wasn’t a lie that she was in charge when he was senior.”

Several people passing them by stared, but the boys who were huddled together with their back stuck to the wall continued watching his every move as if they were watching a marvellous object. To be honest, their admiration for Park Jeong Sieon also played a role in this. The boys, who had confirmed with their own eyes the existence of the main character from the rumours they’d been hearing since entering school, blew the events out of proportion the next day and spoke of it as if it had been an adventure story to their friends. As if they’d seen some celebrity and their face was really only as big as their fist2.

“But what are we doing here?”

When Jinwook wondered, they fell into silence for a moment. Jinwook looked back at his friends and went on.

“It’s not like you want to meet him, and isn’t he someone you shouldn’t meet anyway?”

“…come to think of it, why did we come?”

“Donghyun saw him.”

“That he was in the staffroom.”

“Monster sightseeing.”

“What do we do if he recognizes us and tells the homeroom teacher about the 100 days anni?”

“Gasp!”

“It’ll go on our school record.”

As soon as Yoonjae’s words landed, they took a step back and moved away from the staffroom wall. However, before they could realize their situation and take action, the homeroom teacher was fast to come outside.

“What are you all doing here?”

“!!-”

“!-”

“Ah, Yoonjae is here. Your cousin came, why are you here?”

When Sieon was still a student there, the math teacher had suffered greatly, so she pretended to know Yoonjae. Just because he was cousins with Sieon, she acted like Yoonjae could be relied upon (to take care of things), which didn’t make him feel that great.

“Your hyung has a lot of interest in your grades. You should thank him.”

The homeroom teacher meddled even in unnecessary stuff.

“Yes.”

Answering obediently, Yoonjae turned towards Jaeyoon, furrowing his eyebrows and sticking out his tongue. Jaeyoon laughed at Yoonjae’s actions of secret protest. At that moment, Sieon, who had just finished greeting the teachers in the staffroom, stepped out into the hallway.

“!!-”

Although all his friends simultaneously turned their heads as if they’d seen something by mistake, having made eye contact with Sieon, Jaeyoon remained stuck in place as if they were playing a game of freeze tag3 and no one had unfrozen him.

“Things I’ve seen a lot somewhere.”

At the low murmur, the five lambs pricked up their ears. However, contrary to the tense resolution(?), Sieon only spat out those few words, turned around and went down the stairs.

“I was just nervous for no reason.”

“Didn’t we react a little too excessively?”

“Then again, he doesn’t care about people like us anyway, so we didn’t have to…”

Everyone let out a sigh at the reunion that ended so blandly. Yoonjae pushed his friends’ backs, ‘Let’s return quickly.’

“What’re you doing?”

“No-Nothing.”

Jaeyoon set aside the momentary disappointment he’d felt and ran to Yoonjae.

As soon as the CSAT scores came out, the examinees spent a busy life again. They had interviews, wrote CVs and had their own worries. Except when he was sometimes summoned to do his obligations(?) as a lover, Jaeyoon spent the days leisurely more than ever. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t worried at all, but he lowered his choice (of uni) and the homeroom teacher also said he was safe, so Jaeyoon was confident in his own way.

“Blind date?”

“It’s not right away, after the thesis exams end.”

Jaeyoon was briefly puzzled by Yoonjae’s sudden suggestion.

“Actually, it seems like Jihye’s friend Minjung had you in mind. She was there on the 100th anniversary, but there was no time.”

Although he didn’t fantasize about meetings or dating the opposite sex, Jaeyoon felt excited in his own way, so he didn’t hate Yoonjae’s words that much. Furthermore, the fact that someone had feelings towards him somehow made a part of his heart feel secure. However, the first thing that came to his mind was that man that was his official [lover], Park Jeong Sieon. It may have started due to an absurd affair comparable to a black comedy, but his heart was caught in a ‘dating’ relationship.

“Hate it? She’s a long-time friend of Jihye’s and is quite a good girl.”

“More than hating it… it’s kind of tough.”

“Why?”

“Just, there’s something.”

“…you, could it be?”

Long-time friends are quick-witted. Although Jaeyoon’s face honestly revealed the words his heart couldn’t hide, Yoonjae closed the opened book at his quiet friend’s surprising confession.

“Since when, pal? I really couldn’t tell.”

“No, it’s nothing like that… just, yeah.”

“Nothing like what? Ah! So you’re saying it’s still early to say it’s any kind of relationship, right?”

Jaeyoon looked amazed at this new side of Yoonjae, who’d surprisingly inferred everything up to that point from so little. In fact, Yoonjae’s shock was even bigger, but his face didn’t give anything away, so he appeared composed. Seeing Jaeyoon’s clear eyes, Yoonjae just thought it novel. ‘Seems like this nerd is finally seeing a mate.’ It might have been bad news for Minjeong, but this sincere fellow must have been saying it because he really liked that person, so he felt as happy as if it involved himself.

“What kind of girl is it?”

“Eh?”

“You like the kind and sweet type.”

“Ah…….”

Jaeyoon was put on the spot by Yoonjae’s curious questioning. He’d also reacted like this when Yoonjae said he was dating Jihye but, unlike Yoonjae who’d answered straight away, it was difficult for him to come up with any answer. Jaeyoon was ten thousand years away from the kind and sweet person he’d always wanted, and that person also wasn’t someone of the age Yoonjae imagined. Moreover, the other one was a man, and Yoonjae’s cousin at that.

How would Yoonjae react if he learned of the truth?

[Are you out of your mind? He’s a man. No, far from a man!! How can you, with that abnormality?! I told you over and over! You can never approach him. Do you want to ruin your life, not even living to your 20s?]

It was obvious he’ll blow his top and oppose. Maybe, after finding out, he’ll immediately seek all sorts of measures to protect him. So, he couldn’t say any more to Yoonjae. He thought that, after Yoonjae found out, everything would be over.

“Just so-so. I don’t know yet.”

“This brat used to be pure and innocent. At times, I wondered if it was just Youngsoo’s nonsense, but there really was someone.”

Today, more than ever, the power in Yoonjae’s hand patting his back felt painful.

“Don’t you do things like dates?”

Yoonjae sent Jaeyoon, whose mouth was agape, a look of ‘I knew it’.

“To make progress, you should meet often, chat together, and go out to eat delicious food, too. How about Christmas Eve? It’s also a good excuse. Call them out and confess while you’re at it.”

Before anyone knew it, Yoonjae’s imagination turned it into Jaeyoon having a crush, but it wasn’t a bad suggestion. He’d said he was a lover, but he couldn’t live just to clean and be bullied. He needed an opportunity to change this situation. However, if he heard [You wanna die?] right off the bat, he would immediately suffer a setback, so he decided to send a text message. Clicking the devil’s number and tapping out the time and place of the appointment, Jaeyoon realized that he was contacting Sieon for the first time. Yoonjae looked at Jaeyoon, who was tapping on his phone in a corner as if afraid to be discovered, with the magnanimous eyes of a senior; he couldn’t even dream that he was pushing his too nice friend to his evil cousin’s covetous mouth.

TN:

1) title – Ok so, 애인 (愛人), which means lover, is a Sino-Korean word (ie. borrowed words from Chinese) and so it’s made of Hanja (or Chinese characters), which means each syllable has its own meaning. When reading Hanja, the meaning and sound (phonetic Hangul) is pronounced at the same time. Probably because there’s a lot of homonyms. So for example, the meaning of 人 is 사람(person), and 인 is how we pronounce it. So, when you refer to the 人, you would read it out as “사람 인”. Now, 애먹이다 means to ‘make someone have a hard time’. By 애먹일 애, it’s saying the character 애 is read as referred to as 애먹일 애, where 애먹일 is its meaning and 애 is its sound. To sum up, the title means “The letter 애 (love) in 애인 (lover) means 애먹이다 (giving hard time to someone)”, and it’s semantically in a way saying “lovers are annoying”. Of course, it’s not true. There’s no such Hanja and the 애(愛) actually means love. The writer just wanted to carry a comic connotation by changing the meaning of ‘love’ into meaning of ‘being annoying’. I hope this makes sense. Credit: medale

2) as big as their fist – Compliment on how small their face is, an indication of beauty. The smaller the more beautiful. *pics of Minho, Jang Nara below*

Jang Nara

SHINee’s Choi Minho

3) freeze tag – That game where you have to freeze after being touched by the person trying to win by freezing everyone until someone else who didn’t get frozen yet touches you and you can then move and unfreeze others while running away from the freezer.